Not too long ago, my wife and I attended a fundraiser hosted by one local restaurateur on behalf of another. The locally owned and long-time eatery, Humpty Dumpty, in Grass Valley, California, had burned to the ground, obviously putting all its employees out of a job. So, the staff of Kane’s Restaurant and Maria’s Mexican Restaurant, both owned by John Kane, approached Kane and suggested a fundraiser where they would donate all their tips for one night to the out-of-work employees. Kane agreed and went further, offering to match the tips, doubling the night’s contributions.

A Tuesday night was chosen for the event, typically a slow night for restaurants, and the local newspapers advertised the upcoming fundraiser. My wife and I got there late, but the place was still packed. According to our waitress, earlier in the evening the waiting line had snaked out the door and into the rainy night. Practically everybody in this small town wanted to take part in helping out their neighbors.

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